All finalists will be notified by Nov. 15 and asked to bring samples of their cookies to The Tribune test kitchen on Nov. 17.

First-, second- and third-place winners will be chosen and photographed at a later date at The Tribune. Their recipes will appear in the Food Guide.

Here are more details:

The Chicago Tribune will not be responsible for entries lost or delayed in delivery and reserves the right to disqualify any mutilated or illegible entry or entries that do not comply with contest rules. No entries will be returned. All become the property of The Chicago Tribune.

Each entrant selected as a finalist agrees to the use of his or her name and picture by The Chicago Tribune for publicity purposes. The contest is subject to all federal, state and local laws and is void where prohibited by law. Food professionals and Chicago Tribune employees and their families are not eligible. No purchase is necessary.

By entering the contest, all entrants agree that The Chicago Tribune has the sole right to decide all matters or disputes arising from the contest and that The Chicago Tribune`s determination of the winning entries will be final and binding.

In fairness to all, The Chicago Tribune cannot discuss the contest by phone, mail or in any other way with contestants. -